My 2-year-old son, Dylan, receives weekly therapy for a speech delay, which I have touched upon in past columns. Last winter, we began the process with New Jersey Early Intervention, during which a team came to access him and devise a plan of action.

Before starting his sessions, Dylan was at the age where a 80-word vocabulary was normal.

He didn’t say one.

As hard as it was for me to admit that my extremely intelligent boy was “behind the curve” in this area, I knew he needed more help than I could provide for him. Being a full-time working mother with a very full plate, I had no choice but to explore this route.

Here we are, a few months into his weekly sessions, and I’m finally getting acquainted with the most amazing sound in the world -- Dylan’s voice.

He says a choice word that I will keep to myself; “poo” for pool; “wawa” for water; “Dee-dee” for Dylan; “bah” for bye; “Boo” for Bruce Springsteen when asked to name his favorite singer; and my long-awaited favorite: “mama.”

Dylan, who can identify every color in the rainbow, now attempts to say “blue” and “green” and makes sounds for various animals. He imitates the main character on “Peppa the Pig,” his favorite show on Nickelodeon, and the gorilla who very loudly pops out and scares guests at the Rainforest Cafe at the Menlo Park Mall.

His specialist is wonderful, and it’s so exciting to finally hear him communicate in this way. She’s very committed to doing all she can for my little boy and is encouraged by the progress made up to this point.

Because of my schedule, the therapy takes place at my parents’ house in Eatontown, so I get regular reports from my mother. Last Monday, she called to tell me how the session went, and I wasn’t prepared for what was said.

As part of New Jersey Early Intervention protocol, Dylan’s specialist had to perform an overall assessment of his skills in addition to speech. Tests included walking down the stairs backward and problem-solving activities, such as determining how to get a piece of chalk from a water bottle with the cap secured.

My son is a pro at zooming around the house, getting into everything and removing lids from the most complex containers -- but for some reason, he didn’t perform too well on the tasks at hand.

Dylan’s therapist recommended that I schedule an appointment with a pediatric neurologist so that he can receive an in-depth developmental assessment. As soon as I heard this obviously alarming news, I called her myself to ask further questions before jumping to conclusions.

We had a long discussion about her observations. She expressed a slight concern with his motor skills and said she didn’t want to leave any stone unturned.

Maybe his issues lie deeper than speech delay, but hopefully they don’t.

Either way, I’m getting to the bottom of this -- immediately.

I’m a worrier by nature, but hearing terms like “developmental disorder” and “neurological” when it pertains to your most prized possession took things to a level I never experienced.

His specialist has no worries of autism, but when I questioned some very scary possibilities, she didn’t immediately rule them out.

I hung up the phone and sat in my car as I waited for my parents to meet me with Dylan. I thought to myself, “How could my perfect little baby -- so skilled, loving, perceptive and able to follow complex commands -- be the subject of a developmental-disorder assessment?”

This was one of the roughest weeks I’ve had in a while. In addition to being hit with that very scary news, I spent hours after work researching the best physicians, followed by calling them only to find there are wait lists spanning up to a year.

This is where my favor request comes in.

If anybody out there knows of a pediatric neurologist who may be of service, all suggestions are more than welcome.

I use this space to share my stories and real experiences, hoping to connect with my readers on a relatable level.

For once, I’m turning things around, hoping to find some direction and a voice other than Dylan’s telling me that it’s all going to work out in the end.

Regional Content Strategist for Features:
Shari Puterman is the regional content strategist for features and a lifelong Jersey Girl who produces sections about luxury living, life’s indulgences, exploring Jersey Shore attractions, arts and entertainment. Before joining the Asbury Park Press, the she graduated as valedictorian from Penn State University, moved across the country to Beverly Hills where she owned her own business, then made her way back east to establish a career in journalism. Shari writes a weekly column titled “The Mommy Diaries,” in which she talks candidly about being a full-time working mother trying to balance all life’s demands. She loves spending time with her 2-year-old son and keeping up with the most fabulous trends so she can report them to her readers.